Elliot Ackerman Essays | War, Geopolitics, and Commentary

Vietnam War-era Marine sitting on an armored vehicle while writing in a notebook during combat operations in a rugged field environment

The Veterans Who Become Novelists

Elliot Ackerman reflects on Karl Marlantes, war literature, memory, and the enduring relationship between storytelling and combat.

Nicole Kidman, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, and Anna Wintour attend the 2026 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on May 4, 2026, celebrating the Costume Institute's "Fashion is Art" exhibition.

Met Gala 2026: Fashion, Style, and Celebrity Spectacle

In this humorous review of the 2026 Met Gala, Elliot Ackerman and Suzy Weiss examine the night's most memorable looks, from Lauren Sánchez Bezos and Kylie Jenner to Colman Domingo,...

Federal security officers with rifles secure the White House Correspondents' Dinner ballroom at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC, following a shooting incident near the event attended by journalists, government officials, and members of the media.

Inside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

When gunshots rang out near the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Elliot Ackerman and his wife took cover beneath their table. What followed revealed just how exposed thousands of attendees had...

U.S. military service members seated in uniform during a public event, illustrating themes of military ethics, lawful orders, international law, and the responsibilities of troops during armed conflict.

Is Trump Asking Troops to Commit War Crimes?

Drawing on his experience as a Marine officer in Iraq, Elliot Ackerman explores whether threats to target civilian infrastructure in Iran could force service members to confront difficult legal and...

Crowds gather amid smoke and Iranian flags during a nighttime protest in Iran, illustrating themes of regime change, political unrest, and instability discussed in Elliot Ackerman's essay The Case Against the War.

The Case Against the War

Drawing on his experience as a Marine officer in Iraq, Elliot Ackerman examines the risks of regime change in Iran, the limits of military power, and the political consequences that...

Iranian naval forces conducting military exercises near the Strait of Hormuz amid rising regional tensions

Watching Future War Unfold

Elliot Ackerman examines Iran, future conflict, authoritarian alliances, and the geopolitical realities explored in 2034.

The ICE Shooter's Trauma Is No Defense

Following the fatal shooting of Renee Good, Elliot Ackerman examines the legal standard of objective reasonableness and argues that an officer's past trauma cannot redefine the rules governing the use...

Portrait of Elliot Ackerman during military service early in the Global War on Terror

How Being an Intelligence Officer Made Me a Better Writer

Elliot Ackerman reflects on intelligence work, fiction, special operations, and the experiences that shaped his novel Sheepdogs.

Composite illustration featuring portraits of Mary Queen of Scots and Marie Antoinette, symbolizing political legitimacy, monarchy, and historical rivalry in European history

The Two Marys

Elliot Ackerman reflects on political legitimacy, passion, and instability through the intertwined stories of Marie Antoinette and Mary Queen of Scots.